Boom! The double doors of the meeting hall were pushed open by two vanguards that stood outside the hall. Their jobs were to open the door and stop those who were not permitted to enter.
As the door swung open, Katarina and a man who was a few years younger than her walked into the hall. The man, Uriah, looked at the young lord seated on the stone throne, looking down at him without an expression.
Two Shura Vanguards were on each side of the hall, standing valiantly with their shields to their left and their other hand resting on the hilts of their sheathed sword.
When they reached the middle of the hall, Katarina whispered to the man. “Kneel.”
After saying that, she went to Asher’s right side, lowered her head toward him and faced Uriah.
The creases on Uriah’s head multiplied as he frowned deeply but after weighing the odds, he chose to kneel but said nothing.
“I see that you chose death.”
Asher’s first sentence did not match what he expected.
Didn’t the man want his talent put to use?
“You have quite a big family. A wife, two sons, six grandsons, and some servants… Asher reminded him of what was at stake before he would give his final verdict. He did not plan to spend his time trying to convince one man, especially not after he was almost enslaved to beastmen!
His mood at this moment was volatile.
“What do you want me to do?”
Uriah asked.
Asher leaned forward.
“I want to know the situation in the mining town and their numbers.”
“I shall do as you have asked but you will let me go after that.”
“I will. After all, there are many that need the diamond-ranked eggs that increase lifespan and nourish the bones, easily making someone as old as you as strong as a man in his mid-fifties. With more intake, you could one day punch through rocks and run as fast as a young adult in his prime.”
Asher got to his feet.
“That’s all. You may leave.”
At this point, it was hard for Uriah to take one step. All that Asher said kept echoing in his head, sprouting imaginations of a future he had never dreamed of.
‘It’s a lie.’
He shook his head.
While he left the mansion, his eyes wandered about, exposing his growing curiosity. From a city made with wood and beast fur, it had transformed into a stone city. The difference between this city and the former was like the heavens to the earth.
Ashkelon was magnificent for Uriah to behold.
The Lord’s mansion was built on a hill produced by the system’s interference with the terrain. Because of this, this three-story building stood above every other building in Ashkelon and a road paved with cobblestones was built on the slope that went down to the city.
Currently, Uriah stood just outside the walls of the mansion, with Katarina standing by the open wooden gate.
“When did all these happen?”
“When you were in prison.”
Uriah’s lips parted. He couldn’t understand how a city this huge could be built in less than one day and even if it could, there was no way those great walls that surrounded Ashkelon were raised in less than a day.
Something was definitely odd with that lord.
Could it be that he wasn’t lying earlier?
“Have you tasted what he talked about?” He turned to Katarina.
“Tasted. I have eaten abundantly and I will eat more tonight.” She chuckled. Truely, something was wrong because, though he paid little heed earlier, it seemed like Katarina was not just looking younger but her face was radiant.
Her eyes were clear and the wrinkles on her forehead were fading.
Before Uriah could ask more questions, Katarina turned, and a shura vanguard shut the gate.
Sighing, Uriah found his way to his house only to see his family’s new house. It was ten times better than the rubbish he built and was proud of.
It was his grandson that opened the door and the boy held an attractive golden yolk in his small hand.
As he entered the house, he saw the rest of the family dining on boiled eggs. The eggs gave off a fragrance that made Uriah’s stomach rumble.
….
Rumble!
Ahead of 60 Stormbringers riding on the vast grassy plains were Alex, Asher, four vanguards, and Uriah riding Centraks. Though it was morning, the skies were still dark.
Finally, they arrived at a hill and looked at the mining town brightly lit up by flame torches. Asher could spot Jackal watchmen walking about with swords and shields, while some held torches.
A raven flew and landed on Uriah’s shoulder. His white eyes became normal.
“The mine is in the center of the town but they’re all asleep. Only the watchmen are awake.”
“Any human captive?”
Asher asked in a tone that made Uriah’s spine grow cold.
“I did not see any.”
“Good.”
Asher then lifted up his hand. Seeing his raised hand, the stormbringers grabbed their bows and took arows from the quivers.
The moment Asher brought down his hand, three arrows from each strombringer were shot into the dark sky.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
The arrows began to fall from the sky into the town. The moment it struck, there would be a lightning blast. In the process, the flame troches torched the buildings, starting a fire that was continuously empowered by the rain of arrows.
Before Asher’s eyes, the town turned into a sea of flames.
“Don’t kill all of them. I want a message sent to their great clan.”
Eritrea nodded.
Rumble!
She and the other markswomen rode down the valley, launching arrows at some jackals that escaped the town walls. Some watchmen tried to fight back but their shields were shattered by the power of one lightning arrow and it pierced through them.
Puchi!
Scorched, they fell.
The Stormbringers moved around the town, shooting down those that rushed out, either to fight or to run. All of a sudden, one jackal rushed out of the town, some parts of his body on fire.
Eritrea raised her right hand and her soldiers stayed their hands. They rode past him.
Filled with fear, the jackal did not know he was spared as he ran and ran until he disappeared from sight.
“Kill the remaining.”
Eritrea ordered. She was bent on making sure the Jackal clan paid for trying to assassinate her lord.